The intermittent, unreliable nature of nuclear power plants

[kristopher]

NRC begins special inspection at Palisades nuclear plant to investigate recent unplanned shutdown

September 28, 2011
Source: US Nuclear Regulatory Commission



The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has started a Special Inspection to review the circumstances around the work activities that led to a reactor shutdown on Sept. 25 at the Palisades Nuclear Power Plant.

...The issue involved plant workers who were performing maintenance activities on an electrical panel when a small metal piece located inside the breaker panel came into contact with another metal piece and caused an arc. This resulted in a series of electrical issues that caused the plant to shut down and sent signals to multiple plant systems causing certain safety pumps to start and some safety valves to reposition. The plant shut down safely and will remain shutdown until plant workers determine what happened and resolve the issues.

No workers were injured from this event.

“The plant is in a safe shutdown condition but we have a number of questions about the complexity of the series of events that led to the reactor trip and want to better understand the actions taken by the plant staff before the reactor shutdown and in response to the event,” said NRC Region III Administrator Mark Satorius.

The special inspection team ...

http://www.pennenergy.com/index/power/display/7395393320/articles/pennenergy/power/nuclear/2011/september/nrc-begins_special0.html




Where did they get the power to replace what was lost when this plant shut down without warning?

How does the answer to that question impact the claims of nuclear proponents that the variability of some renewable sources means that we cannot build and operate a 100% renewable grid?

[TheWraith]

1. Still spinning and making shit up as ever, I see.

It must be interesting to live in a world where there's no difference between a power plant not working for a few days out of the year, and one which guaranteeably doesn't work for 12-18 hours every day, and may fail to do anything for weeks at a time. Sort of like how there's no difference between someone having a sip of wine and five minutes with your daughter, and a bottle of vodka and the night with her. After all, they're both basically the same, right?

[kristopher]

2. Your analogy is absurd; please address the questions.

I was very specific:

Where did they get the power to replace what was lost when this plant shut down without warning?

How does the answer to that question impact the claims of nuclear proponents that the variability of some renewable sources means that we cannot build and operate a 100% renewable grid?

[kristopher]

3. Still waiting...

Where did they get the power to replace what was lost when this plant shut down without warning?


How does the answer to that question impact the claims of nuclear proponents that the variability of some renewable sources means that we cannot build and operate a 100% renewable grid?

[ProgressiveProfessor]

8. SOP for some

[kristopher]

9. Are you denying the plant went offline without warning?

If not, are you denying that the unplanned loss of a large nuclear plant suddenly does not have to be replaced?

Those points are self evident.

Responding to those self evident facts, I have asked two questions.

Where did they get the power to replace what was lost when this plant shut down without warning?

Once the answer to that is established, we can look at the second order question:
How does the answer to that question impact the claims of nuclear proponents that the variability of some renewable sources means that we cannot build and operate a 100% renewable grid?

It looks to me that this is another case where nuclear propaganda is set to be exposed, leading the local nuclear supporters to either vanish or obfuscate.

Want to give it a try, "Professor"?

[FBaggins]

12. Answers.

1) From excess capacity at other plants.

2) It doesn't.

So here's an even simpler pair for you:

Do you really think that people are stupid enough to fall for the implied claim that any number <100 is really the same as any other number <100 ???

Or that plants that can produce little to no power when there's nothing wrong with the plants are really the same thing as a plants that goes down when they break?

[kristopher]

10. Crickets. I suppose substantive discussion is against your interests.

That goes directly to the fact that you really aren't interested in the actual merits of the available options to deal with climate change, doesn't it?

[FBaggins]

11. You "suppose" wrong yet again.

There want anything "substantive" in you post to discuss.

[kristopher]

4. WTF? "Officials say the plant has been controlling temperature by venting steam"

...Officials say the plant has been controlling temperature by venting steam, that contains low levels of tritium, into in the environment.

...“The plant is in a safe shutdown condition but we have a number of questions about the complexity of the series of events that led to the reactor trip and want to better understand the actions taken by the plant staff before the reactor shutdown and in response to the event,” said NRC Region III Administrator Mark Satorius.

The agency said it will release a report from the special investigation within 45 days.

The shutdown at Palisades is the second this month and occurred just five days after the plant restarted from a shutdown triggered by a leak in the plant’s cooling system. The NRC has not yet released the report from the special investigation into that event. The agency also inspected the plant in August after a water pump failed....

http://michiganmessenger.com/52811/entergy-faces-another-special-investigation-over-malfunction-at-palisades

[FBaggins]

5. PWRs tend to vent steam when they shut down.

It's quite normal. North Anna also vented steam when it shut down.

It's not at all the same thing as a BWR venting the primary cooling water to the atmosphere.

[FBaggins]

6. Five is greater than three. 22 is larger than 14. 75 is bigger than 25

Until you get these basics down, I'm afraid that you won't understand the answer to your question.

[kristopher]

7. This isn't difficult.

Where did they get the power to replace what was lost when this plant shut down without warning?


How does the answer to that question impact the claims of nuclear proponents that the variability of some renewable sources means that we cannot build and operate a 100% renewable grid?

So far all we've seen in the two replies by nuclear proponents are nonsensical gibberish.

What happened to the Code of Ethics that is promulgated by the American Nuclear Society?

Practices of Professional Conduct
We hold paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the public and fellow workers, work to protect the environment, and strive to comply with the principles of sustainable development in the performance of our professional duties.

We will formally advise our employers, clients, or any appropriate authority and, if warranted, consider further disclosure, if and when we perceive that pursuit of our professional duties might have adverse consequences for the present or future public and fellow worker health and safety or the environment.

We act in accordance with all applicable laws and these Practices, lend support to others who strive to do likewise, and report violations to appropriate authorities.

We perform only those services that we are qualified by training or experience to perform, and provide full disclosure of our qualifications.

We present all data and claims, with their bases, truthfully, and are honest and truthful in all aspects of our professional activities. We issue public statements and make presentations on professional matters in an objective and truthful manner.

We continue our professional development and maintain an ethical commitment throughout our careers, encourage similar actions by our colleagues, and provide opportunities for the professional and ethical training of those persons under our supervision.

We act in a professional and ethical manner towards each employer or client and act as faithful agents or trustees, disclosing nothing of a proprietary nature concerning the business affairs or technical processes of any present or former client or employer without specific consent, unless necessary to abide by other provisions of this Code or applicable laws.

We disclose to affected parties, known or potential conflicts of interest or other circumstances, which might influence, or appear to influence, our judgment or impair the fairness or quality of our performance.

We treat all persons fairly.

We build our professional reputation on the merit of our services, do not compete unfairly with others, and avoid injuring others, their property, reputation, or employment.

We reject bribery and coercion in all their forms.

We accept responsibility for our actions; are open to and acknowledge criticism of our work; offer honest criticism of the work of others; properly credit the contributions of others; and do not accept credit for work not our own.

http://www.new.ans.org/about/coe/

[FBaggins]

13. You're right... It isn't difficult.

Which should embarrass you all the more for getting it so badly wrong.